Roll and catch toy

ABSTRACT

An amusement device consisting of an arched track along which a ball is rolled from one end to the other and which has an enlarged opening at said other end through which the ball falls. A receptacle can be provided at the end remote from the end having the opening to receive the ball.

O Umted States Patent 1 1 3,586,329

[72] Inventor Joseph F. Spreitzer I FOREIGN PATENTS Cassie Met 60435646,97! 1 1/196! Canada 273/109 [21 gr p 2 1 43. 13 4/1934 Denmark273/96 1 i e ug. 45 Patented June 22, 1971 OTHER REFERENCES Play Thlngs,3/1960. Volume 58 N0. 3 P. 553

Prima Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham [54] E AND T Assisra itExaminer-Marvin Siskind 2 Chums 6 D'awmg A!lorneyElmer L. Zwickel [52]US. Cl 273/96 R,

46/43, 273/109 [51] lnt.Cl ..A63b65/12 [50] Field of Search 273/96,

46/43 ABSTRACT: An amusement device consisting of an arched track alongwhich a ball is rolled from one end to the other [56] References cuedand which has an enlarged opening at said other end through UNITEDSTATES PATENTS which the ball falls. A receptacle can be provided at theend [972,587 7/1934 Fairchild 273/ I O9 remote from the end having theopening to receive the ball.

.dttm

ROLL AND CATCH TOY The invention relates to improvements in amusementdevices which, in use, involve the progressive advance of a ball fromone end of an arched track to the other end where it drops through anopening and may be caught in a receptacle located remote from saidopening. Devices of this general nature have been disclosed in FairchildU.S. Pat. No. l,972,587, issued Sept. 4, 1934, and Schwazenzer, US. Pat.No. 2,237,748, issued Apr. 8, 1941. In both of said prior devices a flattrack is provided along which a ball is rolled from end to end, first onone side of the track and then on the other side of the track. ln thepresent structure the track is arched so as to require the user toprogressively elevate same as the ball advances therealong toward oneend where it drops through an opening and may be caught in a receptacle.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an amusementdevice of the character referred to.

Another object is to provide an arched track along which a ball isprogressively advanced.

Another object is to provide an amusement device of the characterreferred to with novel means to catch a ball after it has traversed thelength of the track.

Another object is to provide an amusement device of the characterreferred to which is not expensive or difficult to manufacture, is easyto use and is very entertaining.

Other object and advantages of the invention will become apparent withreference to the following description and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

F IG. 1 is a perspective view of the device.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device.

FIGS. 3 to 6 are schematic views illustrating use of the device.

Referring to the exemplary embodiment of the invention shown in theaccompanying drawings and particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the amusementdevice comprises a track portion 11 having a handle 12 at one end. Thetrack portion 11 is comprised of a pair of parallel wire rails 13 whichmay be twisted, as at 14, adjacent to the handle. The rails are spacedapart to provide a track for a ball 15 that is placed thereon by theuser. To ensure the parallel relation of the rails, they may be providedwith one or more braces 13a located below the top plane of the track.The ball is of a diameter greater than the spacing between the rails 13so that said ball can be advanced, as by rolling, from the twisted area14 to the remote end of the track. This remote end is characterized by aloop 16, formed by a bend in the rails 13, having an opening that isgreater than the diameter of the ball so that the latter may, uponarriving at the loop end, fall through the loop opening.

The track 11 is arched, as shown, substantially into the shape ofone-half circle and the plane of the loop 16 is disposed at an angle tothe contiquous area of the track portion, all for a purpose to beapparent presently.

In use, the device is held by handle 12 substantially in the downwardlyinclined position shown in FIG. 3. The ball 15 is placed on the trackadjacent to the twisted portion 14. The ball immediatelystarts itsdescent along the arched track. As this occurs, the track isprogressively elevated through the FIG. 4 and 5 positions in such manneras to seek to maintain the rolling ball near the uppermost area thereof.When the ball reaches substantially the position shown in FIG. 6, thetrack has been elevated into a substantially vertical position whereuponthe ball falls through the loop 16. The user will then seek to catch thedescending ball in a receptacle [7 that is mounted adjacent to thehandle. This receptacle may be of any practical shape but preferably isfrustoconical, as shown. This progressive advance of the ball along thetrack and its subsequent catching in the receptacle affords a source ofamusement, presents a challenge to the user, and requires coordinationof the hand and eye so as to avoid backrolling of the ball and assureits continuous advance to the loop end without fallin off of the track.

1. An amusement device comprising; a pair of laterally spaced wire railscooperating with each other to form parallel tracks over which a ball isadapted to roll, said tracks being longitudinally arched to definesubstantially a semicircle. a handle at one end of said tracks, a loopat the other end of said tracks of a size to permit the ball to passtherethrough, and a receptacle adjacent to the handle of said trackshaving a receiving opening large enough to receive a ball droppedthrough said loop.

2. The device recited in claim 1, in which the receptacle has afrustoconical shape with its opening at its larger end.

1. An amusement device comprising; a pair of laterally spaced wire railscooperating with each other to form parallel tracks over which a ball isadapted to roll, said tracks being longitudinally arched to definesubstantially a semicircle, a handle at one end of said tracks, a loopat the other end of said tracks of a size to permit the ball to passtherethrough, and a receptacle adjacent to the handle of said trackshaving a receiving opening large enough to receive a ball droppedthrough said loop.
 2. The device recited in claim 1, in which thereceptacle has a frustoconical shape with its opening at its larger end.